CHICAGO – State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago), Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, was pleased to see the Illinois Department of Transportation announce their vote to establish a standing diversity committee, in conjunction with the other member agencies of the Mid-American Association of State Transportation Agencies. 

This announcement came shortly after Villivalam and the Senate Transportation Committee held a hearing centered on increased transparency, diversity, and equity at IDOT.

“Transportation agencies are major job creators here in Illinois,” Villivalam said. “Not only do our workforces and workplaces need to follow diversity and inclusion guidelines, they need to be fair and representative of the communities they serve.”   

The new committee is designed to allow member agencies to learn from one another on diversity issues and other shared transportation challenges, as well as to share information and strategies among member states on issues of diversity and inclusion. 

The purpose of the effort, spearheaded by the Mid-America Association of State Transportation Officials, is to foster the development, operation, and maintenance of an integrated and balanced transportation system that will best serve the needs of its member states. 

MAASTO is affiliated with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and its member states include Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin. 

More information about MAASTO and its new initiative can be found at www.maasto.net. 

CHICAGO – State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago), Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, led a virtual hearing focused on how the Illinois Department of Transportation chooses which projects to fund. He and other members of the committee believe that transparency and equity must guide the IDOT project selection process.

“The state spends billions of taxpayer dollars on roads, bridges, and mass transit construction and repair,” Villivalam said. “The people of Illinois deserve to understand how, why, and where that money is spent. The decisions have to be equitable and transparent. It was great to hear that IDOT Secretary Osman and a number of stakeholders are committed to doing just that.” 

The committee heard testimony from IDOT, labor unions involved in the construction process, industry leaders, the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and the Transportation Equity Network. 

“This conversation isn’t over,” Villivalam said. “Transportation is a large part of Illinois’ economy – we’re the crossroads of the nation. Making sure our horizontal construction and repair process truly and fairly serves the needs of our people and commerce is vital to our future.”

Villivalam called the meeting of the committee after hearing from residents and officials who questioned how IDOT chooses which projects to fund. He also heard from the members of the committee as to their need to better understand why projects that have been approved for funding sometimes take years to complete – often with little sign of progress.

Villivalam, the committee and stakeholders are committed to ensuring the project selection process becomes more transparent and equitable, including legislative changes, if needed.

CHICAGO – With the health and safety of older Illinoisans in mind, State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) is reassuring drivers aged 75 and older that they now have an extra year to renew their driver’s licenses. 

“This year-long extension is here to save our seniors from having to take a trip to the Driver Services facility at this critical juncture of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Villivalam said. “Your own vehicle remains the safest way to travel during this pandemic, and older adults shouldn’t have to choose between their safety and a valid driver’s license.” 

Residents aged 75 years or older must currently hold a valid license. Drivers whose licenses have been suspended or revoked do not qualify for the one-year extension. All eligible drivers will be receiving a letter from the Illinois Secretary of State’s office confirming their eligibility. 

For all drivers under the age of 75, expiration dates for driver’s licenses, ID cards, and license plate stickers have been extended until November 1, 2020. Residents who choose to renew their license at a DMV are required to wear a face covering. Drivers are encouraged to be patient due to a heavy volume of requests and must be prepared to wait outside for an extended period of time in all weather conditions.

All Illinois drivers are encouraged to visit www.cyberdriveillinois.com to take advantage of online services from the safety of their own homes whenever possible. Online services include replacements and renewals of license plate stickers and ID cards. 

Originally published in The Southern Illinoisan, August 13, 2020.

SPRINGFIELD — An Illinois Senate committee met for the state’s first-ever virtual hearing Thursday in a Zoom teleconference focusing on diversity in state contracts granted through the Illinois Tollway.

The new Senate rules for virtual hearings were approved by the chamber in the abbreviated May legislative session. They allow the Senate president, in consultation with the minority leader, to create a process in which committee votes can be taken, but such a process has not yet been approved.

Thursday’s Senate Transportation Committee hearing — which state Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, called to order shortly before 10 a.m. — was subject matter only, meaning there could be discussion, but no votes would be taken.

The committee was previously chaired by state Sen. Martin Sandoval, a Chicago Democrat who resigned his senate seat last year before admitting in a January plea deal that he had received more than $250,000 in bribes from a red light camera company over a three-year period.

Sandoval was also one of the lead architects of the capital infrastructure package passed in 2019, which created a revenue stream for road and bridge projects by raising the gas tax and other transportation-related fees. The revenue that legislation produced funds the $45 billion Rebuild Illinois capital improvements plan.

Villivalam said the purpose of committee hearings like the one called Thursday was to increase transparency in state contracts.

“Given the fact that we're in the midst of a pandemic, civil unrest and an economic downturn, I would argue now more than ever we must be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars, and we must ensure the safety of our residents,” Villivalam said. “With that in mind, my goal today and those of this committee are to listen and ask meaningful questions of all involved and figure out the best path forward on transparency and diversity goals at the Illinois Tollway.”